Pros and Cons of 20 inch wheels vs 17 or 18s?

My 2006 double cab XSP 2WD was sold as new with the nice 20 inch Enkei wheels. Do they work just as well as the ones that are a smaller diameter? Do they put more strain on the drive train / suspension etc long term?

I just put 4 new 275 / 55 R 20 tires on those rims and may want want to sell or trade for some other wheels that would allow the door height to come down a bit at some point. I am long in the tooth and also have a 87 year old person having difficulty climbing in or out without someone to assist. (even using the grab handles and running boards) I know my personal preference would not be rims that are blacked out looking like ones that seem to be all the rage with younger folks these days.

What say ye?

 

TYPICALLY, larger wheels will weigh more which can increase the strain on the drive train. I wouldn't worry about it shortening your life of drivetrain parts though.

The overall height your tires have now is currently ~32", going to a smaller rim doesn't necessarily mean smaller overall height but would depend on what size tires you put on them. I believe the stock rim/tire is a 30-31" tire so if you were to use a stock size tire you could drop the overall height of the truck .5" to 1".

I feel the largest reason most of us run 16-18" rims are for additional sidewall. This usually allows for a more comfortable ride and extra protection when offroading.

 

Thanks for your insight. That is the kind of information I was hoping for.

A one inch difference in overall height from the ground would not be worth me making any kind of change. I really need to be educated in the Tundra world

 

Bigger rim less tire rubber, smaller rim bigger tire rubber. Rim size doesn’t matter on the size of the tire. For example a 35” tire will be 35 doesn’t matter what rim size. As I stated above. Bigger rim just means less rubber, smaller rim equals more rubber.

 

If you don't have them already, maybe some running boards or side steps could help with getting in and out of the truck.